Ever wondered why Europeans seem to be in so much better shape than us Americans? Well, instead of driving everywhere, they bike around town. The good news is that one of their secrets, the eZee electric bicycle, is now available in the U.S.

eZeebike USA announced Wednesday a major expansion of the eZee brand of electric bicycles into the American market. The eZee brand is already popular in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

eZee bicycles are just like regular bikes except they're equipped with an electric motor that helps power the vehicle to ease the pedaling during long rides or rides on rough terrain.

Each e-bike has a rechargeable battery that takes about five hours to fully power and then has enough juice to run the bicycle at around 20 mph for a distance of about 20 miles. Of course, you can always turn this off and power the bike by yourself, the traditional way.

eZee bicycles are obviously not for hardcore cyclists. The electric motor is designed to help those who have hardly biked before ease into the habit and make a trip to the grocery store much more comfortable, especially in areas with lots of hills, such as the San Francisco Bay Area. It also makes cycling less of a workout and more of a fun thing to do (for those who don't equate working out with fun).

The eZee lineup consists of several models, including beach cruisers with enough power to assist cycling on sand; serious performance bikes for off-road cycling; electric tricycles (great for grocery shopping); and a compact foldable model that can fit in the trunk of a car easily. All of them come with high-quality lithium polymer batteries and premium components.

Currently, these bicycles are available in six states--California, Oregon, New Hampshire, Maryland, Massachusetts and Minnesota--with two flagship stores opening sometime in the third quarter in El Segundo, Calif. and Rancho Mirage, Calif. eZeebike says it's planning to open more eZee flagship stores across America.

But you'd better start saving your pennies now, as the cheapest model of the eZee bicycle costs around $2,000.

About the author

CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now manages CNET San Francisco Labs, reviews 3D printers, networking/storage devices, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world.
See full bio